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RPlog:Humble Beginnings
Mitali's pilgrimage home had gone well, although it had been shorter than he anticipated - not that it was necessarily a bad thing. He loved his family, but every time they asked him if he was okay, he became less certain of his answer. Now he's returned to Ord Mantell with his own clothes, a little more life experience under his belt (and subsequently tattooed on his face), and more time to mull over the events of the last few years. Rather than the Temple, Mitali has come to one of the places he used to spend a great deal of his time - Organa Park. The Mirialan has parked himself on a bench with a fizzyglug in one hand and his chin in the other, quietly watching the people in the park with a small, thoughtful smile on his face. "So is this the exciting life of a new Jedi Padawan learner?" comes a voice that might be familiar by now to the Mirialan. Coming up along a curve in the path near Mitali's bench, Jessalyn Valios comes up behind him. A large satchel is hoisted over her shoulders and her hands are on her hips, and without her Jedi robes she looks like just an ordinary citizen of New Alderaan, out for a stroll in the park, her dark red hair coiled into a long braid that falls down her back. "Or are you off on some grand adventure of the mind, instead?" she asks whimsically. Blinking, Mitali lifts his head and peeks back over his shoulder, quickly developing a lopsided smile. "Oh, I've never craved excitement, Master Valios," he chuckles, waving his free hand dismissively at the thought. "Adventures of the mind, though, I do like. Would you like to sit?" he asks curiously, already scootching over to make some more room on his bench. Coming around the bench, Jessalyn drops the heavy bag with a -whump- onto the ground and flops onto the bench, sinking back into the seat and rubbing her sore shoulder. "I'm with you there. The only adventure I ever wanted when I was growing up, was maybe spending the day deep in the engines of the some nice modified freighter, seeing how much more juice I could get out of her. But as far as flying off in her in search of excitement and danger? Nah, I'll leave that to the flyboys. Funny how destiny sometimes has something else entirely in mind for us, isn't it?" she muses, tilting her head and giving Mitali a sidelong look. "So how are you fitting in? Finding everything all right? Have you started your lesson schedule yet?" "I started out more adventurous than I am now - I used to slice," Mitali admits, smiling crookedly at the redhead with a helpless shrug of his shoulders. "One too many stern talking-tos put me on the straight-and-narrow, though, which is how I wound up over there." He gestures in the direction of Solo Base. "Honestly, I like where I am now better." Ruffling a hand back over his hair, he tilts his head thoughtfully. "I haven't spent too much time around the Temple yet, but I think I'll fit in okay. L-- Master Skywalker and I have always gotten along really well... and I'll probably help with the last bits of clean-up and repairs, if the help is wanted," he says thoughtfully. "I only just got back, though, so we haven't really gotten into much just yet." "I didn't realize you'd left," Jessalyn muses, glancing over at the Mirialan and noting his features look somehow different than the last time she'd seen him. "There are still some repairs going on, but most of it is taken care of. It's a good thing we got those shields up before the ship crashed or it could have been a lot worse. Let's just hope the Emperor doesn't try anything like this again." Her expression is thoughtful and grim for a moment, before she perks back up and smiles at Mitali. "So no one's given you any lessons yet? Nothing at all?" Green eyes glance about the park, the wheels behind them almost visibly turning as the Jedi Master sits up straighter, that smile growing more mischievous. "Went home to see my family," Mitali explains, smiling and lightly tapping one of the new marks on his face with a fingertip. His brow does furrow a bit at the mention of ships and shields, but he doesn't dwell on it - you don't spend time with Luke without learning that sometimes, you just need to accept some weird, unexpected things. "Not yet," he confirms instead, mirroring her smile. "I'm a clean slate." When Mitali points out the change to the markings on his features, Jessalyn ahhhs and nods her head in recognition, grinning. "Your family must be very proud. Did you... tell them?" She winks at him and stands up again, her head tipping back to look up into the branches of a tree whose limbs spread out over the sky above their bench. The Jedi then crooks a finger, indicating Mitali to join her. "I've got a little something I can show you. Tell me how it is that you have felt the Force, Mitali. Are you able to sense it at will?" "Yes'm - they were elated," Mitali admits with a quiet laugh. "The Jedi have always been very respected back home." There's actually a little bit of pressure on him, though he's putting it upon himself more than anything else - he is, as far as he knows, the first Mirialan Jedi since the purges. It's a great honor, but also a great responsibility, as well. Tilting his head slightly, he hops to his feet and sets his drink down on the bench before obediently moving to follow Jessalyn, tipping his head back to follow her gaze up at the tree. "So far? Instinct, mostly," he murmurs thoughtfully, his brow furrowing. "I haven't done it on purpose, I don't think... but when I was in my cell, I was thinking about how I would slice the lock to get out just before it opened. And I knew where to go once I was out." It's growing less rare for Jessalyn to hear those kinds of words, but she's still pleased and and even strangely relieved to hear that Mitali's homeworld respects the Jedi Order, and that his family is thrilled that he will be joining its ranks. Still, she knows the burden he must be bearing, if he feels the same way as his family. A Jedi Knight's shoes are big ones to fill, and it's easy for even the most confident of early initiates to feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability. "I'm so glad to hear that. I know you'll continue to make them proud... they'll have to come by the Temple sometime so we can meet the whole family," she suggests, chuckling. "Now, this might seem tricky, but I'm going to push you because I think you can pull it off. Okay?" Jessalyn takes a few measured steps, still looking up into the tree, selects a bough roughly four meters over her head. She coils for an instant and then springs upward, grabbing onto the branch easily and climbing up onto it. "All right. Now," she says from her perch up in the tree, "Find a rock. Any rock that will fit in your hand will do... You're going to lift that rock right up into my hands... with the Force." She smiles prettily, her hands forming a kind of bowl shape in her lap as she waits to see Mitali's reaction. "I'll invite them," Mitali promises, smiling broadly and nodding to Jessalyn. "My big sister's on the /Independence/, so once they're back, I'm sure she'll come by." Once they're back, not if. He nods once at the Master's words, keeping his smile and rubbing his hands together. "Yes'm. I don't mind being pushed. It's a good way to learn." He tilts his head attentively as she hops up into the tree, his lips twitching into a wider smile before he starts looking around. Rock, rock, need a rock... aha. A rock. He briefly scurries up to the base of the tree's trunk to snatch up a palm-sized rock before moving back to where he had stood before, glancing between it and the woman now up out of arm's reach. "I've seen this done, but I'm not sure how to actually do it," he chuckles, his brow knitting together as he starts mulling it over. How did he get that door to open...? Maybe it's the same basic principle... At mention of a sister, Jessalyn arches a brow and makes a mental note, though it inevitably makes her think of her own siblings back on Corellia whom she hasn't seen in years. Pushing back those memories, she settles comfortably as possible on the branch, her hands still cupped, but her eyes drifting slowly shut. After a moment of concentration, she nods her head, reading Mitali's thoughts and saying, "Yes, it's basically the same principle." Her lips curl with amusement and she peers down with one eye at the boy. "When your mind is at peace, you can feel the Force, you can use it to lift the rock as if it is an extension of yourself, your very own hand. The Force is within you and without you, connecting you with the rock, with the tree, even with little old me. Just... concentrate," she advises, and to show him, she allows the rock to life for a moment from Mitali's hand before drifting back into his open palm. Having his thoughts read by Jedi is nothing new for Mitali, though having someone /other/ than Luke do it does cause him to pause briefly before he chuckles and bobs his head, clearly quite comfortable with the experience. "I think I get it... in theory, at least," he muses, letting his eyes fall closed. One thing that may set him apart from many of the Order's new apprentices is that Javin Mitali has, for most of his life, practiced meditation - he's done it for long enough that the speed with which he clears his mind of thoughts may well be surprising in one so new to the Order's ranks. There are a few thoughts lingering behind, little glimpses of theory and hypothesis on how to lift the stone, but for the most part, he's simply quiet, trying to focus on feeling the Force on /purpose/, for a change. It's partly because she knows he is comfortable with it, and partly because of the advantages of being able to gauge what a student is thinking as they attempt a task, that Jessalyn allows herself to read the young Mirialan's thoughts. She watches him not with her eyes or other mundane senses, but with her mind linking them both through the Force. Indeed, she does make note of how efficiently he sweeps away his thoughts, and the suggestion she makes isn't delivered from her lips, but through the Force and into the young apprentice's mind. -Trust your instincts. Let go of theories and roadblocks. The Force is always with you, not just when you are at peace, but always. Open yourself to it.- Someone else's voice in his mind - now, that's a new one on Mitali. There's a little flash of surprise as his brow furrows, but after a momentary bumble, he manages to wrangle his mind back into the calm state he wishes it to be in. He can't help a quiet, amused thought on how hard it must have been for the tech now instructing /him/ to set aside old habits and simply be, but if she could do it, so can he. He nods to noone in particular and takes a deep breath, pushing even his theories aside with a bit of effort in favor of simply focusing on the stone itself. As he did with the door, he pictures in his mind what he wants it to do - rise from his hands and drift up into Jessalyn's - in the hopes that it really is Just That Simple. It had not been easy at all, as a matter of fact. Jessalyn's reaction to the discovery of her powers had not been a happy one as it's been for Mitali. She'd lacked the confidence that she was up for such a monumental task, and the only other Jedi she knew was Luke. There was no Temple, no Jedi Order, not even any other apprentices with whom to share the experience. And her mechanic's brain was always getting in the way, making her think too hard and not rely on the Force enough. Mitali's meditation gives him a definite advantage over her early experiences. She doesn't speak, either out loud or within his mind, not wanting to disrupt his concentration, keeping her own mind as still as a serene pool of water as she feels the boy getting the hang of it and the Force gathering around the stone in his hand. There's a little flutter of excitement when Mitali feels the stone twitch against his hand, but it serves to thwart his concentration. He doesn't get frustrated, though - he just laughs and shakes his head before he re-re-marshalls his thoughts, an odd smile still on his face in light of his bobble as he tries again. "Now, when I can do this and talk at the same time," he muses in a distracted tone of voice, "We can have a party." Sensing the movement, Jessalyn chuckles to herself, nodding, even though he's likely not looking up at her. "The Force can help you concentrate. Did you know that Luke launched the proton torpedoes that destroyed the Death Star without using the targeting computer? He concentrated solely on his task, and the Force guided his movements. Don't think of anything else but just what you want to accomplish. Don't even think of me or my voice," the Jedi Witch says, letting her words trail off and going silent. "Calling that a lucky shot is something of a misnomer, then," Mitali muses, briefly opening one eye to peek up towards her before he lets it fall closed again. Right. Focus. He's so friendly and outgoing that sometimes, even /with/ his fondness for meditation, stepping away from a conversation can be difficult. He'll need to work on that. Another deep breath and another silencing of his thoughts, and he focuses on the stone and the careful path he wants it to take. When it twitches in his palm this time, he sets his jaw and tries not to let it distract him. /Up/. Jessalyn's lips curl, and she stays quiet this time, knowing that his friendly nature might turn out to be one of those obstacles in the way of his ultimately achieving a Jedi's discipline. She can sense it when he manages to move the rock again, without being startled at his success, and she unconsciously holds her breath, opening her eyes and watching as it rises through the air, somewhat timidly at first. Though her instinct is to applaud his efforts -- or to intentionally distract a more experienced student -- she stays quiet, allowing Mitali the moment to be aware of his own concentration and connection to the Force. It's a strange feeling, but a familiar one, now that Mitali knows what it's meant to feel like - he'd mistaken the awareness that comes from touching the Force for anxiety during his escape on Yaartsek, but now he can see it for what it truly is. As the stone leaves his palm, his lips curve into a wider smile, but he still doesn't open his eyes. He simply trusts that the stone will go where he intends for it to go, albeit slowly and unsteadily. Focusing on manipulating the Force with his eyes open, he can work on when he is somewhere less distracting than the busy park. That Mitali trusts and knows he is successful without opening his eyes to confirm it makes Jessalyn smile widely, assured in his understanding and sensing the realization as it dawns on him that he knows what he's looking for. She notices that a couple of passersby have stopped to gawk at the scene in front of them, and she tries to keep from smirking as the rock floats on its own accord through the air and in front of Jessalyn. The preciseness required to make the rock actually find its way into her own cupped hands will require more concentration than she might demand of a new initiate -- but his meditation should make him an excellent candidate for speedy progress. More concentration, and perhaps a good memory - Mitali's aim is a little off at first, off to the side of where the Jedi Master's hands actually are. From the way his brow furrows, though, he seems to realize it. It doesn't feel right. His mouth twisting in a comical expression of focus, he tentatively tries to reach out with the Force to get a better idea of where he needs the stone to move, the stone suffering a small bit of a bobble that it quickly recovers from due to the new split in its guide's concentration. Jessalyn's eyes shift to the side, tracking the rock's movements, and she grins and stifles a chuckle. Next time, when he's got this down and thinks he can do it with his eyes shut, she'll remember to move her hands. She watches his face puzzle over the dilemma, waiting, as patient as the tree she's sitting in, it would seem. It isn't until the stiffled chuckle that the stone begins to drift to the side, and in the right direction - the little burst of emotion made the Master easier for the Padawan to sense. Once Mitali thinks the stone is in the right place, he takes a leap of faith and simply lets it drop, letting out a breath and opening an eye to look up. It /felt/ like the right place - now he just needs to find out if it was. He's oblivious to the small crowd that the pair of plainclothes-clad Jedi have gathered, but that's probably just as well. Realizing that he used her emotions to re-orient the rock, Jessa is more and more impressed, and when the stone drops into her hands, she beams down at the boy and a few of the passersby by begin to clap and hoot with appreciation. "Nicely done," the Jedi says, dropping down from her perch in the tree and walking over to Mitali, the rock still gripped in her hand. "You see? You knew you had done it without even looking," she says brightly, casting a glance to their audience and dipping her head. Mirialans, it would seem, blush green. Mitali blinks and coughs sheepishly when the applause makes him aware of their audience, laughing in spite of himself even as he tries waving the praise off. The tech is not used to being the center of attention, and certainly not in quite this fashion. "I had a good hunch, at least - guess I need to learn to listen to those hunches more," he muses, smiling crookedly up at Jessalyn and bowing his head politely. "Thank you." "You're welcome," Jessalyn murmurs, giving the young Mirialan's shoulder a warm squeeze and handing the rock back to him, just in case he might like to keep it as a memento. She still wears the crystal that Luke gave her when he first told her she had the Force as a pendant around her neck. "Though there's no need to thank me. I've always enjoyed training others. I'm not as good at it as Luke is, but it's still my job." She notes the flushing of a darker shade of green on his face and waves to the crowd, who for the most part have started moving along. In New Alderaan, Jedi antics aren't all that unfamiliar to even everyday citizens. "I'm headed offworld for a few days," she says, keeping her voice light so that the seriousness of her mission isn't betrayed. "Perhaps when I'm back, I'll introduce you to my family, if you like. We're quite the social bunch." Mitali accepts the stone back, eyeing it for a moment before he tucks it into his pocket. He can see no reason not to go ahead and take a little memento, and it will certainly serve as a reminder of his humble beginnings. "Oh, no, you're a very good teacher," he smiles, looking back up at her. "Honest. You suggest, not tell - a lot of teachers have trouble with that distinction, but it can make a world of difference in how open-minded their students approach their lessons, no matter the subject." At the invitation, he beams and nods his head, oblivious to the nature of the mission she mentions. "I'd like that. Maybe by then, my own family can make it out as well. Only fair." Jessa smiles as he reassures her on her teaching techniques, and shakes her head, chuckling as she walks back to the bench where she'd parted with her belongings. She hoists the wide strap back over her shoulder and carries the weight of the heavy satchel mostly upon her back. "I'd love to meet them," she says sincerely, trying not to think of her own little ones she's leaving behind yet again for another death-defying mission. While the Empire's gaze is fixed on Nak Shimor, she will be swimming right beneath their very noses. At least Sha'dria knows how to access all her personal information, her bank accounts and the documents outlining her wishes if she should ever not make it back. "See you soon, Javin. Don't let Master Luke work you too hard." She bobs her head and heads off down the path, catching a glimpse of the Temple's spires between the trees where she knows Drax and Paul will be waiting for her... Humble Beginnings